1887: The circus was founded by Carl Hagenbeck. Ephrahim Thompson's elephants act was brought to Europe in 1887 by Carl Hagenbeck for his very first circus in Hamburg.

1888: During a fire on the circus in Munich, the elephants panicked and rushed into the public. The vistors got excited and attacked back with stomes and logs, Carl Hagenbeck was hurt between two elephants, and the visitors became chocked. One of the elephants even run inside the Hofbräuhaus.